


Only if you get caught.

by BarPurple



Series: Tonsorial Art [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), Sweeney Todd (2007)
Genre: Cheating, Drinking, Drinking Games, Gambling, Gen, Pickpockets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-23
Updated: 2016-02-23
Packaged: 2018-05-22 19:50:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6092116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarPurple/pseuds/BarPurple
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A demon barber, an infamous pirate captain and dice. There's no way this game is on the level.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Only if you get caught.

“Ugh! Why do you drink this stuff, Todd?”

Killian’s face was screwed up in distaste as he dropped the empty shot glass to the table. Todd’s lips twisted into a small wry smile.

“Nothing wrong with Mother’s Ruin, Jones. Better than this sweet muck you’re so fond of.”

Todd prodded his own glass, which was filled with rum and as yet untouched. There were three empties lined up next to his elbow, but Killian had a growing collection of empty gin glasses on his side of the table. Killian flapped his hand at Todd and scooped the dice from the table and dropped them into his tumbler. With a nod at Todd they rolled and slammed their tumblers out on to the table, exchanging a challenging look before they revealed the dice.

“Bloody Hell!”

Killian heaved a sigh and poured another shot of gin. He screwed his eyes shut in anticipation of the foul taste and threw it down his throat. He scrapped his teeth over his tongue and shuddered dramatically. At the counter Henry chuckled and turned to away from the pirate and barber as Ruby brought his hot chocolate. She smiled as she sprinkled the whipped cream with cinnamon and laughed as the dice slammed on to the table again. Once again Killian groaned in frustration. She leant over the counter and said softly;

“Henry, doesn’t Killian use loaded dice.”

“Yup, but so does Todd,” Henry leaned forward conspiratorially and whispered, “Todd switched Killian’s dice about four rounds in. He’s not noticed.”

Ruby hid her giggle behind her hand. 

“Killian’s going to be sloshed.”

Henry grinned and gave Ruby a wink.

“Don’t worry, I have a plan.”

After two more rolls and two more shuddering shots of gin for Killian, Todd rose from the table and made his way toward the restrooms. Ruby watched slyly as Henry leapt to his feet and bumped into Fleet Street’s infamous barber.

“Sorry Mister Todd didn’t see you there.”

“No harm done, Master Henry.”

Todd steadied the lad on his feet and continued on his way. Ruby hadn’t spotted anything strange about the collision, but then Henry grinned over his shoulder and flashed the contents of his hand at her. Killian’s loaded dice were nestled in his palm. Ruby watched like a hawk as Henry dropped into the seat next to Killian and knocked over his tumbler of dice.

“Steady there lad, or your mother will think you’ve been on the gin!”

Henry laughed at Killian‘s quip and swept the fallen dice back into the cup. Ruby assumed he’d switched them, but she couldn’t for the life of her see how he’d done it.

“Can I watch the rest of the game?”

Killian clapped Henry on the back.

“Course lad, just got to wait until Todd returns.”

Todd didn’t look at all worried that Henry had joined them, not until he’d lost four rounds in a row. His eyes firmly on the lad he gagged back his forfeit shot of rum. He leant back in his seat and patted his waistcoat pocket, his normally stoic face split into a huge grin. Todd held his hand out in Henry’s direction.

“My dice if you please Master Henry.”

The look of confused innocence on Henry’s face was convincing enough that Todd curled his fingers in on his palm and began to withdraw his hand, confusion clouding his features. Henry smirked and fished Todd’s dice from his shirt pocket bouncing them in his palm in front of the astonished Todd. Killian threw his head back and roared with laughter, his hook banging on the table in glee.

“I didn’t spoil your game did I?”

Henry’s question was asked nervously. Todd shook his head as he shoved the rum bottle across the table towards Killian, his other hand caressed the neck of the gin bottle as he grasped it with a smile.

“No lad, Jones and I always cheat, the game is in finding new ways to pull it off,” Todd raised a glass of gin in salute to Henry and Killian, “You’ve never used a lad to pinch from me before Jones.”

Killian wrapped his arm around Henry’s shoulder, pulling him into a sloppy hug.

“Didn’t even ask the lad. He's just looking out for his captain.”

Todd raised an eyebrow and nudged an empty glass toward Henry; he was stopped from filling it with gin by Killian’s hook. The pirate's tone suddenly sober as he said;

“None for the lad, Todd, his mothers would skin both our hides.”

Todd shrugged.

“You’re just training him in pirate’s thieving ways, not the drunkenness then?”

“Hey, my mom and dad were thieves; my grandma was a bandit, what makes you think I need a pirate’s instruction?”


End file.
